The Final Apology
by Fantasiaa
Summary: Finally, they've finished filming the last episode... so now what? T for language.


**A/N: **I've had this idea in my head since the day the last episode aired, but everytime I tried to write it out, I'd get stuck. So here's the story now, 3 weeks after the actual ending. Sorry guys =_=  
Oh and also, just a warning, there are obviously gunna be plot holes in this story, like the fact the manga is still ongoing (so why should the characters be sad) and things like that, but I tried to write it to the best of my ability. The story (as you'll notice when you read it) is filled with opinions, my own and other people's. I do not agree with some of the opinions expressed in my story, I just wanted to include everyone's opinions of Gintama ending. So don't kill me if you see an opinion you don't like.  
Oh god I miss Gintama so much /3

**Summary:** The final episode is done filming, so what happens afterwards?

**Rated:** T for swearing. Miniscule amounts of GinHiji/HijiGin, but only if you want to take it that way.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gintama. Gintama is not mine. Gintama belongs to Sorachi-sensei. I wish I were him. But then the drawings would be terrible, and I'd ruin everyone's beautiful faces. Life isn't fair. I want to be a cheesecake.

* * *

**The Final Apology**

* * *

That was it.

The final apology.

Said in "a voice full of energy, to induce hope in the audience's hearts, and to ensure they start watching the anime again when it returns from hiatus", just like it told them to on the script.

Everything went perfectly. Carried out in the classic Gintama style, a thin, almost non-existent layer of seriousness buried underneath mounds of humour and half assed shit.

Out with a bang. Just like what the higher-ups wanted, what the audience was expecting.

As the credits started rolling, and the cameras stopped recording, their straight, uniform line broke up into a lopsided circle, an undercurrent of a certain awkwardness present.

Shinpachi spoke up first, like always. A bright smile was plastered on his face, although his glasses seemed a little fogged up.  
"Well, that's that! Even though we might have offended more people than we apologized to, overall, it went pretty well, don't you think?"

Other than a nod and grunt of agreement from Kondo, there was no reaction from the crowd.

He tried again, his voice wavering slightly.  
"I mean, come on guys! We might be ending, but look how far we've come! We've fought, laughed, cried, and enjoyed ourselves for over 250 episodes! Now it's just time for us to take a break, let other animes have a chance to enjoy some airtime."  
No reaction. Blank stares.  
His words sped up in desperation.  
"Think about it, other super popular shonen animes like Beelzeb*b and Bl*ach are ending in the same week as us! Plus, Gintama will be back after one year, two years at most, you know, because we're waiting for the manga to come out with more chapters, so everyone, don't be so depressed – "

"Shin-chan, I don't think anyone here is depressed…" Otae cut in, a forced smile doing nothing to soften the implication of her words (something along the lines of "Shinpachi you idiot, I'm ashamed to have you as my brother").

"That's right Otae, it's actually relieving to know that the anime has ended. We can finally get the rest we deserve, without any interruptions." agreed Otose.

"Uh huh, this season was just arc after pointless arc. The producers were so busy trying to gain a bigger audience through back to back fight scenes and character backstories that they forgot the Yato can't stand the sun, and made me walk around in broad daylight without my umbrella, just like a mere _human._" added Kagura, crossing her arms and nodding.

"Ah, wait a second Kagura, I don't think you were supposed to mention – " started Shinpachi, before he was cut off by Otose.

"Hey, I almost died in one of those 'pointless arcs', you know! Besides, they forgot about your weakness to the sun some time in the second season, so what are you doing complaining about it now?"

"Shut up, you old hag!" glowered Kagura, sticking her tongue out at the Yorozuya's landlady.

"Kagura, that's not very polite –" Shinpachi was cut off yet again, this time by his sister.

"Ne, Kagura-chan, would you like to come with me and Shin-chan to our place? We can have a little celebration for the ending of the anime. You can even invite some of your friends since it's such a special occasion."

"Uwaahh, Ane-go, you really are the best!" Kagura skipped excitedly over to Otae, breaking the already crooked circle of people.

"Uh, mind if I tag along, Tae-chan?"Kyuubei asked, glancing down at her feet and blushing slightly.

"No, not at all Kyuubei-san!" Otae replied cheerily, a warm smile on her face.

"Ah, in that case I shall accompany the young Lady there." Tojo added, with the same enthusiasm as always.

A gorilla-like creature slithered up to the newly formed group around Otae.

"Ne, ne, Otae-san, mind if I come with you too? I'll protect –"

Kondo's sentence never finished, as Otae buried her foot in his face.

"Like hell you will! Animals aren't allowed in the dojo, and that includes gorillas like you!" she growled, grinding the heel of her foot in even harder.

"I-I'm sorry! Please forgive me!" sobbed Kondo, worming away.

Otae turned back to the group around her, a bright smile instantly appearing on her face.

"Shall we go?"

"Ah, but, Ane-ue, wait shouldn't we –" started Shinpachi.

An ominous, dark aura materialized around Otae, whose eyes were now shadowed, not visible except for two malicious red glints.

"You're coming right, Shin-chan? You wouldn't disappoint your dear sister would you?"

"O-of course, of course I'm coming, heh heh, l-let's go, shall we?" Shinpachi answered, mouth twitching in a forced smile, shivering violently. The image of Kondo's flattened face flashed in his mind.

Otae's face immediately went back to its usual smiling features. "That's great Shin-chan! Now, come along guys."

The group turned to leave, with Kagura skipping happily ahead, and Shinpachi trudging behind, mind already filled with images of Otae's Dark Ma – no, "fried eggs".

"I guess we should do a bit of celebrating too." announced Otose after they left the room. "Catherine, Tama, anyone who wants to come, I'll treat you to a free drink at the Snack House."

Hasegawa immediately responded. "Free beer? I'm in! … ahaaha, if you don't mind that is.."

"It's boring here. I guess I'll go." added Tsukuyo offhandedly, inhaling a puff of smoke from her pipe.

"Hey, all of you! Are you trying to leave me out? What is this, some sort of separation play? Just so you know, I only enjoy that if it's with Gin-san. But I'm still coming! No one's going to leave Sachan out of this celebration!" Sarutobi yelled, puffing out her cheeks. (Hey admit it guys, you all forgot she was in the episode too, didn't you.)

"Alright, alright, we got it, you creepy stalker woman." grumbled Tsukuyo exasperatedly, walking over to Otose's group, which had already started towards the exit.

Sarutobi made a face at Tsukuyo's back, then sped after her (to seem like part of the group, you know?).

"Oi, wait up! Wait for me!" Hasegawa stumbled after them, clearly forgotten.

The group left behind stood there, awkwardly. Then, suddenly, Katsura and Elizabeth started sprinting towards the door.

His parting words of "Adios, amigos!" echoed around the room.

Sougo whipped his bazooka out of thin air, prepared to shoot after the escaping Joui rebel.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Stop that, Sougo." Kondo smiled. "Let him go for today. It _is_ the last day of the anime, after all."

"But, Taichou, even if it's a special day…" argued Yamazaki, glancing towards the exit.

"Come on guys, let's go back to the barracks to celebrate this day with the Shinsengumi. I'd say we deserve it." declared Kondo, ignoring Yamazaki's pleas.

"Yes, I agree Kondo-san. We've really worked very hard. We should definitely give ourselves a break today." agreed Sougo, already halfway across the room.

Kondo and Yamazaki (who had no further complaints) headed after him, quickly reaching the door, and exited the room.

There was silence. An absolute dead silence.

The room that was bustling with life just a few minutes ago now felt stagnant and stale.

The dust settled.

"…ne. They forgot about us, didn't they."

There were two figures, two figures who had stayed uncharacteristically silent the whole time. Two figures who were usually the center of attention, fighting with each other, and with just about anyone else.

"…Yeah. Guess they did. Those bastards, leaving without Gin-san…I'm the main character you know." The silver haired man lifted his head, directing a not-really-there gaze at the raven haired man opposite him. The line he had delivered sounded half hearted and rehearsed.

There was no reply from the man, whose head was still lowered, eyes shadowed, thoughts unfathomable.

Gintoki straightened from his slouched position. "Well, Hijikata-kun, guess I better get going. You know, places to go, girls to meet…"

"…Yeah." Hijikata's face was still in shadow, eyes directed at the empty space in front of him, yet not really _seeing. _

Gintoki turned away, slowly sauntering to the door, his footsteps echoing painfully loudly in the near-empty room.

"…Hey. Yorozuya." The voice made him stop. He turned around, ruby coloured eyes finding the owner of that voice, the voice he knew so well when it was growling, or yelling, or screaming, but never like _this._ This overwhelming blank, quiet voice.

"That was a pretty good season, wasn't it." Hijikata finally lifted his head, sapphire eyes meeting crimson.

"…Yeah."

"Even though there may have been way more arcs than we're used to, it was still pretty bad ass."

"Yeah…" This kind of _seriousness_ wasn't something Gintoki was used to dealing with, especially when it came to the mayo freak. The corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk. "But then again, anything with me in it is pretty bad ass."

The comment had the desired effect.

The familiar glare returned to Hijikata's face, and the familiar rough edge to his voice appeared to be in effect again. "You..you're really just the same arrogant bastard you always were, eh?"

"Aww, how mean. That really hurt Gin-san's feelings!" A grin played on the edges of Gintoki's lips as he strolled back over to where Hijikata was standing.

"No one cares about your feelings, sugar freak. Besides, I was talking about the Thorny Arc. Now, if I do say so myself, -"

"Has the mayo killed off all your brain cells? I was in that arc too. Saving your ass too, if I remember correctly."

"Also admitting you were the Shiroyasha, if I remember correctly."

"That was way back in the day! Gin-chan lives the life of a model citizen now…"

"Not exactly. What was that thing going around about you? Sleeping with six people in one night?"

"Don't believe rumors, Toushi! Didn't your mother ever teach you to never spread lies? And at least there isn't a rumor about me breaking off dead men's ch*inkos!"

"There was never a rumor like that! Besides, you were there! And you were the one who broke off the shop owner's ch*nko!"

Their faces inched ever closer, as each tried to get into the other's personal space, yelling accusations and denials.

"Did not! And well, at least I wasn't the one that impaled myself on Hedero's brother's horns that one time in that bath house!"

"Yeah, instead, you slipped on lotion and smashed his other brother's face into the wall!"

They were grabbing at each other's collars now, both trying to overpower the man opposite them.

"That was an accident, an accident! You know, humans can only learn from their mistakes, so you must make as many as you can!"

"Who the hell said that? Was that supposed to sound wise?"

"Wise is only in the ear of the beholder!"

"You totally got your quotes mixed up! It's "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", you idiot perm-head!"

"Well we can all agree that you've got no beauty, no matter who the beholder is!"

"And that's coming from you?"

Gintoki turned to the side, pouting. "Well, I guess we can both agree that Kondo messed up the most that time at the bath house."

"No way. You're actually trying to change the subject back?" Hijikata made sure to laugh loudly in Gintoki's face before he released the silver haired bastard. "Well, it's true. At least we weren't tied up in that old grandpa's ballsacks the whole time."

"Yes, nothing we did could have been worse than that." Gintoki shuddered, suppressing the memories. "Well, maybe except for that time with the penile brake –"

"ALRIGHT that is quite enough. I don't want to remember." Hijikata shook his head, also clearly reliving the memories.

Finally, recovered from their recollections of their experiences, they were back at square one, awkward and silent.

But for some reason, this time it was different.

Maybe it was the fact their natural tension to each other had been relieved through their squabble, or maybe it was because, in some twisted way, their feelings about the anime ending had been released by bringing up the horrible experiences each had gone through.

For whatever reason, somehow, they seemed to _understand._

And what made this time different from any other was that the understanding was acknowledged. Not through words, or even conscious actions. They _knew._

Gintoki hooked an arm around Hijikata's shoulders. "Say, why don't we go and get some drinks, celebrate the good times."

Hijikata glanced over at him. "Get off me you freak."

A little half hearted elbow jab. The arm stayed right where it was.

"So? What do you say?"

"….fine. Why not?" Hijikata sighed in defeat. The grin on Gintoki's face grew wider.

"Yay!"

"But first, get the fuck off of me."

"Alright, alright." The arm was removed, but the grin stayed.

As they walked toward the exit, Hijikata pulled out a pack of cigarettes , lighting one and putting it to his mouth. Inhaled.

The two walked in silence, out into the evening air.

The silence wasn't threatening, or awkward, but rather comfortable.

It spoke of the new bond, building on the bonds that had already existed, between the two who understood each other the least, yet understood each other the most.

They walked, remembering the past, and embracing the future.

"Ne, Hijikata-kun."

"Yes?"

"You're buying."

"…bastard."

* * *

**A/N:** This part isn't important. You don't have to read it. Just my ramblings xD  
1. I have never noticed how hard it is to write Gintama fics without humour. I tried doing a completely serious fic... and failed. Oh so hard.  
2. I AM SO SO SO SO SORRY FOR THOSE WHO'VE ALERTED OR FAVOURITED OR COMMENTED ON TRUTH OR DARE! Please accept my sincerest apologies, I've just been having massive writers block (yeah, writers block she says. For 3 months?) and this story was supposed to help jump start my writing back up again. I promise I'll update! (Yeah, she promises. That's what they all say) So in the meantime, please don't give up on me... (and dirty jokes).


End file.
